BPC-157 vs TB-500
These are the two "healing" peptides, usually sold together. They are different molecules with different amounts of evidence, and neither has been through a proper human trial for injury recovery.
- More human data: BPC-157, though it is three tiny studies
- More ways to take it legally: BPC-157 (injection, oral or topical). TB-500 is injection only.
- More certainty about what is in the vial: BPC-157
- Tested together in people: never
Side by side
| BPC-157 | TB-500 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A synthetic 15-amino-acid chain based on a protein fragment from stomach fluid | A short synthetic piece of thymosin beta-4, a 43-amino-acid repair protein |
| Human studies of the compound itself | Three, with fewer than 20 participants in total. No randomized trials. | None completed. One early trial registered in 2026. |
| Where the rest comes from | Rodent studies, much of it from one laboratory | Cells and animals, plus human trials of the full-length protein, which is a different molecule |
| Evidence grade | C | D |
| Legal status | Compoundable on prescription under the October 2026 policy | Same |
| Forms the policy covers | Injection, oral, topical | Injection only |
| Advisory committee vote | 8 to 6 in favor | 8 to 6 in favor |
| Established human dose | None | None |
| Sport | Prohibited | Prohibited |
The difference that matters most
With BPC-157, the molecule is well defined and the argument is about whether animal results carry over to people. With TB-500 there is an earlier problem: sources do not agree on exactly which fragment the name refers to, and reviewers note that products sold as TB-500 do not always contain the same sequence. The human studies quoted in its marketing used the full-length protein, in eye drops and on leg ulcers, not the fragment injected for a sore tendon.
That is why TB-500 sits a grade lower. It is not that it has been shown to work less well. It is that less is known, including what is in the vial.
Reported dosing
No dose has been established in human trials for either.
- BPC-157: the figure most often cited is 250 to 500 micrograms a day under the skin. It is extrapolated from animal work and prescriber habit.
- TB-500: the pattern repeated online is 2 to 2.5 mg twice a week for four to six weeks. The source we found for it labels it anecdotal.
Each compound's own page shows where those figures come from.
Taking both
Pairing them is sold as the Wolverine stack. No trial has tested the combination, and a single vial holding both falls outside the 2026 compounding policy, which allows one active ingredient per product. A clinician can prescribe them separately. The stacks page covers this in detail.
If you are going to try one, trying one at a time is the only way to learn which, if either, does anything for you.
Sources
- Narrative review of BPC-157 for musculoskeletal healing (PMC)
- Lee and Burgess, 2025: BPC-157 intravenous safety pilot (PubMed)
- Scoping review of thymosin beta-4 and TB-500 in tissue healing (preprint)
- HHS: 503A peptide enforcement discretion policy
- GoodRx: forms and routes covered, and committee votes